Wood County child-care shortage forcing families to make tough choices

WOOD COUNTY – Wood County continues to face significant shortages in regulated child-care options, reflecting a broader decline in providers across central Wisconsin.

Local families, employers and child-care organizations report high demand and limited availability, particularly for infant and toddler care.

Child care has become increasingly difficult to secure in recent years.

According to Childcaring, Inc., the region has experienced a substantial drop in available providers.

Childcaring, Inc. is a non-profit child care resource and referral agency and family resource center serving 10 counties across Central Wisconsin.

The organization reported that its 10-county service area has lost “42% of child care providers since 2010” — a decline that has eliminated thousands of licensed slots. 

This decrease has left many communities, including Wood County, with fewer regulated programs than needed to support working families.

Childcaring, based in central Wisconsin, serves as the area’s child-care resource and referral agency.

The nonprofit helps families locate licensed or certified providers, assists new providers in opening regulated programs, and supports existing providers through training and technical assistance.

The agency offers free child care referrals and works to connect families with programs that meet state standards.

Kelly Borchardt, executive director of Childcaring, has become a key spokesperson for explaining the region’s ongoing shortages.

Borchardt described the situation as a growing challenge, stating that Wisconsin’s child-care system is in a “crisis.” 

She cited a recent case involving a traveling nurse who accepted a central Wisconsin job but eventually declined it because she was unable to find any infant care after contacting more than 70 providers.

“She said she called over 70 regulated child care programs and was unable to find care,” Borchardt said.

The shortage, according to Borchardt, is tied to several factors: the reduction in the number of providers, ongoing staffing shortages in existing centers and financial pressures on child-care programs.

Borchardt advocates: “Our vision is for every child in Central Wisconsin to be prepared to thrive. We work with families, child care programs and communities to ensure that families have access to high quality child care and services that support caregivers with young children.”

Providers often struggle to retain early-childhood educators because of low wages and limited benefits, which affects the number of classrooms they can operate.

In response to the growing need, Kyla Degler, director/owner of Dairyland Daycare LLC in Rudolph received a $10,000 startup grant for her family child care program through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to expand regulated child-care capacity.

Degler said, “This funding has had such a huge impact on my in-home daycare. I’m so excited to open my doors.”

According to the county, the initiative aims to increase the number of licensed slots through support for both group centers and family child-care providers.

The board noted that the funding was approved “to address the child care needs in Wood County.” 

Childcaring is assisting with implementation, helping providers understand eligibility, application requirements, and capacity-building goals.

As Wood County continues to experience demand that exceeds available regulated care, local agencies and community partners say additional initiatives may be needed to stabilize the child-care landscape.

For now, Childcaring and its leadership remain the primary regional resource for families and providers navigating the shortage.

For more information, visit www.childcaring.org.